1. Cross-Reference to Related Application
This application is related to my prior U.S. application Ser. No. 479,998, filed June 17, 1974 entitled Hemodialysis System, and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,556, granted Nov. 18, 1975. Specifically, the subject matter of this application supersedes the apparatus for removing gas bubbles from the hemodialysis solution disclosed by such patent.
2. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for removing gases from liquids, and more particularly, it relates to apparatus for degassing a hemodialysis liquid.
3. Description of the Prior Art
My prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,515,275, granted Jan. 2, 1970, the several patents mentioned therein, and the prior art that was cited and considered by the Patent Office and listed at the end of the patent should be consulted for the purpose of properly evaluating the subject invention and putting it into proper perspective. The following additional patents relating to artificial kidneys or hemodialysis systems, should also be consulted: U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,779, granted Nov. 14, 1967, to Avery J. Austin and Robert S. Patch; U.S. Pat. No. 3,406,826, granted Oct. 22, 1968, to Charles B. Willock; U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,550, granted Sept. 15, 1970, to Christian Cappelen, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,727, granted Aug. 10, 1971, to Charles B. Willock; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,561, granted Aug. 6, 1974, to Earl J. Serfass, Edward R. Lindsay, Jr., Gene M. Holmes, James D. Aid and French Bishop, Jr. Several of these patents are concerned with the problems of removing gases from the hemodialysis solution prior to introduction of such solution into the hemodialyzer.
The present invention relates to novel way of utilizing a hydrophobic material for efficiently removing the unwanted air and other gases.
Additional U.S. patents which should be studied in conjunction with the subject invention, some of which involve the use of hydrophobic material, are: U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,615, granted Aug. 26, 1969, to Cestmir Sochor; U.S. Pat. No. 3,492,793, granted Feb. 3, 1970, to Pravin G. Bhuta and Robert L. Johnson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,408, granted Aug. 11, 1970, to David Rosenberg; U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,856, granted Oct. 26, 1971, to Manuel C. Sanz and John J. J. Staunton; U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,616, granted Mar. 28, 1972, to Alain Blanchard and Alphonse Faure; U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,680, granted May 30, 1972, to Gustav Heuser and U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,563, granted Oct. 30, 1973, to Robert C. Brumfield.